Soups

Chilled Tomato Cream

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This is a soup that encourages modification.  First of all, serve it cold or hot.  Secondly vary the topping – croutons, crispy onions, grated cheese, bay shrimp, diced chicken, sliced green onions, and don’t forget bacon bits.  Go even farther – red wine vineger, soy sauce, curry powder, garlic salt, – go for it!
PS It was ok with less lemon and no half and half.

Ingredients:

  • 3 c tomato juice
  • 1 c sour cream
  • 1 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 Tab lemon juice
  • dash hot pepper sauce
  • salt and pepper
  • 1 tsp lemon zest
  • 1/2 c half and half
  • whipped or sour cream

Directions:

  1. Add tomato juice gradually to sour cream, blending thoroughly.
  2. Beat in the Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, hot pepper sauce, salt and pepper to taste, lemon peel and half and half.
  3. Chill thoroughly.
  4. Serve in chilled soup cups.
  5. Top with whipped or sour cream

Serves:  4-6

Source:  A small, aged newspaper clipping.

This entry was posted in Soups.

Lasagna Soup

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If Garfield made soup, he’d make this soup.  Of all the wildly popular American takes on Italian cuisine (spaghetti and meatballs; fettuccine Alfredo; chicken Parmesan), the latest to go viral is lasagna soup, thanks to one TikTok user with a Lego set and a thing for pasta. It retains everything you love about lasagna — the tomatoey marinara, spicy Italian sausage, soft sheets of pasta and milky ricotta cheese — and simmers it together with chicken stock to create the red sauced comfort food of your dreams.

Ingredients for the soup:

  • 2 Tab olive oil
  • 1 lb sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
  • 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 1 small onion, finely chopped
  • 1/2 c dry white wine
  • 1 14.5-oz. can whole plum tomatoes, crushed by hand
  • 2 c. low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 tsp. dried oregano
  • 1/2 tsp. kosher salt, plus more to taste
  • Pinch of red pepper flakes
  • 6 lasagna noodles, broken into 1- to 2-inch pieces
  • 4 c baby spinach
  • 1/4 c fresh basil, chopped
  • Italian bread, for serving

Ingredients for the ricotta dumplings:

  • 1 c fresh ricotta cheese
  • 1/2 c freshly grated parmesan cheese, plus more for topping
  • 1/4 c fresh basil, shopped
  • 1/4 tsp kosher salt
  • Black pepper, to taste

Directions:

Make the soup:

  1. Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat.
  2. Crumble in the sausage and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until lightly browned, about 3 minutes.
  3. Add the garlic and onion and cook until softened, 3 to 4 minutes.
  4. Add the wine, bring to a simmer and cook until reduced and syrupy, 2 to 3 minutes.
  5. Add the tomatoes, chicken broth and 3 cups water to the pot and bring to a simmer over medium heat.
  6. Stir in the oregano, salt and red pepper flakes.
  7. Bring to a simmer and cook until slightly thickened, about 7 minutes.
  8. Add the lasagna noodles and cook until just al dente, 6 to 7 minutes.
  9. Stir in the spinach and basil and cook until the spinach is wilted, about 3 minutes. Season with salt, if needed.

Make the ricotta dumplings:

  1. Stir together the ricotta, parmesan, basil, salt, and a few grinds of pepper in a small bowl.
  2. Ladle the soup into bowls and dollop the ricotta dumplings on top (about 2 tablespoons per dumpling).
  3. Top with an extra sprinkle of grated parmesan.
  4. Serve with bread.

Serves:  4 – 6

Ree Drummond,  published: Jan 31, 2023

This entry was posted in Soups.

Cream of Mushroom with Orzo, Couscous and Red Quinoa

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Orzo, couscous and red quinoa add an unexpected texture to this creamy soup. The Portabella mushroom is so meaty and delicious and it goes very well with the sage and fresh scallions. Finish with Parmigiano-Reggiano for a nutty bite. This a great Meatless Monday dinner!

Ingredients:

  • 6 Tab butter, divided
  • 2 Tab extra virgin olive oil
  • 32 ounces Portabella mushrooms, wiped and roughly chopped
  • 2 medium onion, finely chopped
  • 4 Tab sage, minced
  • 1 c dry white wine
  • 2 c heavy cream
  • 6 c vegetable broth
  • 1/2 c orzo
  • 1/2  couscous
  • 1/2 c red quinoa
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/2 c Parmigiano-Reggiano
  • 1 c scallion, finely chopped

Directions:

  1. In a large skillet over high heat, combine 2 tablespoons butter and olive oil.
  2. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring often, until tender, 3 minutes.
  3. Set aside.
  4. In a large sauce pan, melt remaining butter over medium-high heat.
  5. Add onions and sage and cook,stirring occasionally, until onions are tender, about 3 to 4 minutes.
  6. Add white wine and cook, stirring constantly, until it evaporates.
  7. Add heavy cream and vegetable broth; bring to a light broil.
  8. Add orzo, couscous and red quinoa.
  9. Reduce heat to medium and simmer, partially covered, until pasta and grains are cooked al dente, 10 minutes.
  10. Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper.
  11. Fold in mushrooms, Parmigiano-Reggiano and scallions and serve immediately.

Cook’s Notes:  Orzo, couscous and red quinoa have different cooking times if cooked separately. In this soup, they
are cooked together and their textures will be slightly different from each other, but everything
together will work very well!

Serves:   4-6

Source:  Obrigado Brazil! – VPWL November 2014

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Christmas Clementine, Carrot and Coriander Soup with Citrus Twists

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This soup is also delicious cold.

Ingredients:

  • 3 lbs carrots, peeled and finely diced
  • 2 large onion, peeled and finely diced
  • 4 oz butter
  • 3 pints hot vegetable stock
  • 3 tsp crushed coriander seeds
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp ground ginger
  • 4 tbsp rice flour
  • 8 to 6 clementines , juice and zest of
  • salt and pepper , to taste
  • 4 clementines , zest of

Directions:

  1. Sweat the finely diced carrots and onion in large saucepan with the butter – keep the lid on and keep stirring them until soft, for about 10 minutes.
  2. Add the crushed coriander and heat through for about 2 minutes to release the fragrance.
  3. Then add the hot stock, ground cumin and ground ginger. (If you are using ground coriander add with the other spices and the stock.).
  4. Bring to the boil and then cover the pan and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes.
  5. Add the ground rice, clementine juice and zest – stirring well, and continue to simmer for a further 30 minutes.
  6. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly.
  7. Liquefy  in a food processor or with an immersion blender.
  8. Adjust the consistency by adding extra clementine juice or stock if the soup is too thick.
  9. Return the soup to the pan and reheat for 5 minutes or until piping hot but NOT boiling.
  10. Remove from the heat and season with salt and pepper to taste.
  11. Serving suggestion: Serve in pre-heated soup bowls with twists of clementine zest on top of the soup, as well as an assortment of dinner rolls and flavored butters.

Serves:  8 – 12

Source:  Taste of Australia VPWL December 2014, Food.com

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Madroña’s La Crème de Tomates en Croute

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No, it’s not just fancy tomato soup!! It is probably the best tomato soup you will ever eat.

Ingredients:

  • 4 lbs. Fresh tomatoes, quartered
  • 11/2 lb. Yellow onions, chopped
  • 8 cloves garlic, peeled
  • 2 bay leaves
  • pinch thyme
  • 5 Tbs. Butter
  • 4 C. heavy cream
  • salt and white pepper
  • 3 Tbs. Tomato paste, depending on ripeness of tomatoes
  • 2 lbs. Frozen puff pastry
  • 8-10 ovenproof soup crocks

Directions:

  1. Cook onions in butter until soft, then add tomatoes and seasonings.
  2. Cook slowly, uncovered, for four hours.
  3. Run through a blender or food processor and strain.
  4. Add the cream and correct the seasonings.
  5. Bring to a boil and set aside.
  6. Preheat oven to 450°.
  7. Roll out pastry to about 1/8″ thick.
  8. Paint the surface with an egg wash.
  9. Cut circles of pastry about 2″ larger in diameter than the soup crocks (ovenproof) in which the soup will be served.
  10. Cool the soup slightly; place it in the crocks.
  11. Lay the circle of puff pastry on top of the crocks. Make sure the pastry is very cold or slightly frozen so it does not sink into the soup. The egg wash should be done so it helps form a seal between the bowl and the pastry.
  12. Bake for 20  minutes in a 450° oven, or until golden brown. Do not open the oven during baking, as this will cause the pastry to fall.
  13. Serve immediately. (Take frozen dough and soup to hosts house.  Heat soup, assemble and bake at hosts house.)

Serves:  8 – 10

Source:  A Visit to Provence – VPWL February 2015

 

 

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Baked Potato Soup

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This started as a way to use up leftover baked potatoes, but is so good, I bake potatoes to make it. You can bake the potatoes and cook the bacon the night before.

Ingredients:

  • 5 lb russet potatoes (5-6 Costco large)
  • 1 lb bacon
  • 1 liter (4 ++ cups) chicken broth (depending on how soupy you want it)
  • 1 lg onion – diced
  • 1/2 tsp garlic salt
  • 1/2 tsp poultry seasoning
  • 1/2 tsp white pepper
  • 1/4 tsp nutmeg
  • 2 Tab Onion Soup Mix
  • 1 1/2 lb cheddar cheese/Mexican blend
  • sour cream
  • green onions

Directions:

  1. Bake potatoes 375° 60-90 minutes.
  2. Bake bacon about 30 min depending on thickness
  3. Reserve bacon fat.
  4. Crumble bacon.
  5. Next day, or when cool, roll potatoes to soften.
  6. Cut in half.
  7. Peel just the skin off the potato.  The browned potato bits add a lot of flavor.  It’s OK if some skin remains.
  8. In a large stew pot, cook the onions in 1 Tab bacon fat until light brown.
  9. Add broth and spice.
  10. Heat to low boil.
  11. Crumble potatoes into soup.
  12. Season to taste.
  13. Just before serving, stir in 1/2 bacon and 1/2 cheese.
  14. Serve with remaining bacon, cheese, sour cream, green onions.

Serves: 6-8

Source:  Margie

Ingredients for 50:

  • 30 lb russet potatoes
  • 6 lb bacon
  • 6 liter chicken broth (or more depending on how soupy you want it)
  • 6 lg onion – diced
  • 1 Tab garlic salt
  • 1 Tab poultry seasoning
  • 1 Tab white pepper
  • 1 1/2 tsp nutmeg
  • 6 Tab Onion Soup Mix
  • 5 lb cheddar cheese/Mexican blend

 

 

 

 

Two Tone Soup

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This is sooooo impressive – and so easy!  It can be served hot or cold.

Ingredients:

  • 1 pkg Knorr tomato soup
  • 1 pkg Knorr leek soup
  • 6 c half and half
  • 1/2 c crème fraîche
  • chives

Directions:

  1. Prepare the soups separately, using half and half for the liquid.
  2. To serve, pour equal quantities of each soup into two separate jug or measuring cups..
  3. Holding a jug in each hand at either side of a soup bowl, pour both soups into the bowl.  (If it doesn’t work exactly right, take a table knife and use it to swirl the two soups.)
  4. Garnish with the crème fraîche.

Serves:  6 1 cup servings as starter

Source:   A lucky experiment.

 

 

 

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Margie’s Southwest Soup (for 50)

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This is the original Margie’s Southwest Tomato Soup.  It also on the blog in a smaller version.  You can easily add cooked chicken or beef (ground or diced) or fish/shrimp at the end.  Ingredients for 30 in parentheses.

Ingredients:

  • 4 – 5 lb. box of tomatoes (2 lb)
  • 6 red/yellow peppers (3)
  • 1 lb. frozen corn
  • 2 large yellow onions, chopped (1)
  • 3 quarts vegetable broth
  • 48 oz. salsa, medium heat (24 oz)
  • 2 stalks celery, chopped
  • 5 Tab (1 oz) cumin (2 Tab)
  • 5 Tab garlic salt (2 Tab)
  • 2 Tab (0.5 oz) paprika (2 Tab)
  • 2 Tab (0.5 oz) smoked paprika (2 Tab)
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • olive oil

Directions:

Prep Tomatoes
1. Split tomatoes across the middle (equatorially).
2. Loosely seed over a strainer; retain the juice.
3. Put on a baking sheet (teflon), face down. Spray cooking oil on top.
4. Roast at 400° for about 30 minutes, until dark brown or black skin (not quite charred)
5. Cool, remove skins, crush flesh and mix with juice from seeding.

Prep Peppers
1. Split peppers in half.
2. De-seed peppers.
3. Put peppers face-down on teflon baking sheet; spray cooking oil on top.
4. Roast at 400° for about 30 minutes.
5. Peel skins, dice.

Prep Corn (optional)
1. Brown frozen corn. This can be done in a frying pan, or on a baking sheet with a creme brulee torch. The idea is to get a little char on it for flavor.

Make Soup
1. Sautee onions in olive oil to golden brown.
2. Dump everything into a pot — tomatoes, peppers, salsa, vegetables, broth.
3. Bring to a simmer; season to taste.

Serves:   50

Source:   Margie Kleerup

Chicken Pot Pie Soup (for 50)

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It tastes like you had been simmering it all day!  Great for dinner in the middle of a snow storm. Quantity for 30 in parenthesis.

Ingredients:

  • 4 large yellow onions, chopped (2)
  • 5 stalks celery, chopped (2)
  • 6 quarts chicken broth (6)
  • 5-6 lbs. chicken meat, cooked  (Costco for the win!) (2 – 3)
  • 1 lb. mixed frozen vegetables
  • 1 lb. frozen peas
  • 2 pkgs refrigerated hash browns / skillet potatoes
  • 1 c flour (1/2)
  • 3 sticks butter (1 c)
  • 2-3 Tab olive oil
  • 4 Tab poultry seasoning (1 1/2 Tab)
  • 1 Tab black pepper (2 tsp)
  • 1 Tab garlic salt (2 tsp)
  • 4 oz chicken bouillon (1 oz)
  • 4 oz vegetable bouillon (1 oz)

Directions: 

  1. Saute onions in olive oil to light brown.
  2. Add butter, flour; simmer.
  3. Add chicken broth.
  4. Add poultry seasoning, pepper, garlic salt, bouillon.
  5. Bring to boil.
  6. Add vegies, potatoes, etc.
  7. Bring to boil.
  8. Season to taste.
  9. Throw in chicken; serve when chicken is hot.

Serves:  50

Source:   Margie

New England Clam Chowder

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“From the daughter of a Newton, Massachusetts gal.”  This is a wild variation on boring old New England chowder – chorizo, red pepper flakes takes it to a new place.  Delish!!

Ingredients:

  • 2 Tab unsalted butter
  • 2 large leeks (white and light green parts) diced and well rinsed
  • 2 medium garlic cloves, grated
  • 2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
  • Kosher salt
  • 2 (8 oz) bottles clam juice
  • 1 cup cooked chopped clams
  • 2 Tab canola oil
  • 8 oz Spanish chorizo sausages
  • 2 green celery stalks, sliced 1/2 inch thick
  • 4 medium Yukon Gold potatoes cut in 1/4 inch dice
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 3 c heavy cream
  • 2 c half and half cream
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tsp Tabasco sauce
  • 2 Tab Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 lb littleneck or Manilo clams, scrubbed
  • 4 sprigs fresh dill, stems and all, coarsely chopped

Directions:

  1. Make the soup base:
    1. In a large, heavy bottomed pot milt the butter over medium heat.
    2. Add the leeks, garlic and red pepper flakes.
    3. Season with salt and cook until the leeks are translucent, 5 – 8 minutes.
    4. Add the clam juice and chopped clams.
    5. Bring to a simmer, then remove from the heat and keep warm.
  2. Cook the chorizo and celery:
    1. Heat a large sauce pan over medium heat.
    2. Add 1 Tablespoon oil and the chorizo and cook until crispy, 5 – 8 minutes.
    3. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the chorizo to a paper towel to drain.
    4. Heat the residual fat in the pan, add the celery and saute for 2 – 3 minutes.
    5. Season with salt.
    6. Remove with a slotted spoon.
  3. Meanwhile, cook the potatoes:
    1. In another pot combine the diced potatoes, bay leaves, cream, and half-and-half with 2 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper.
    2. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer and cook until the potatoes are tender, 10 – 12 minutes.
    3. Add the Worcestershire and Tabasco.
    4. Stir to blend.
  4. Cook the clams:
    1. Put a large, heavy-bottomed pot on the stove and add the remaining 1 Tablespoon oil and heat over medium heat.
    2. Add the clams, cover the pot and cook until they pop open, 8 – 10 minutes (discard any that do not open.)
    3. Put the clams in a colander and reserve the cooking liquid.
  5. Finish the  soup:
    1. There is a good chance that there will be grit in the clam cooking liquid.
    2. Strain it through a double layer of cheese cloth or a coffee filter into a bowl and add it to the leek mixture.
    3. Combine with the potato mixture.
    4. Add the clams in their shells, the celery and the dill.
    5. Discard the bay leaves.
    6. Taste for seasoning.
    7. Top with chorizo just before serving.

Serves:  6 – 8

Source:  The Home Cook:  Recipes to Know by Heart, Alex Guarnaschelli